Brick-making plant.



PATENTED NOV. 20, 1906.

H. HQ ALSH;

BRICK MAKING PLANT.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1l 1906.

II K ITNESSEQSKY ATTORNEYS Tu: NDRRIS FITERS ca, WASHINGTON, n. c.

PATENTED NOV. 20, 1906.

H. H. WALSH.

BRICK MAKING PLANT.

A'PPLIOATION FILED IEL. 1, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

INVENTOR,

PATENTED NOV. 20, 1906.

H. H. WALSH. BRICK MAKINGPLANT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.1. 1906.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ATTORNEYS 0 ARM w W mm M WITNESSES:

1m: uonms PETERS co., wAsHma-muuzq HIRAM H. l/VALSH, OF NEWBURGH, NEW YORK.

BRICK-MAKING PLANT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 20, 1906.

A li ati fil d February 1, 1906- Serial No. 298.941-

and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to brick making plants; and it has for one of its objects to simplify and expedite the work of transferring the brick between the stage of the brickmaking operation which precedes drying the brick and the drying stage and between such drying stage and the stage in the operation which immediately follows the drying. These operations of the process have heretofore usually been accompanied by the use of various contrivances requiring more or less undue handling of the brick and a waste of time and labor to manipulate.

.Another object of my invention is to perfect the drying operation itself by the em.

ployment of apparatus which will both hasten the drying and render the same more thorough than heretofore.

Still another ob'ect of my invention is to improve the kiln treatment of the brick.

Other objects of more or less importance will be made apparent in the following detailed description of the invention, which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the plant including the heating apparatus. Fig. 2 is a view showing all the parts of Fig. 1 (excepting the heating supplying means, which is omitted) in transverse vertical section, the plane of the section for the primary drying apparatus being a little beyond that for the conveyer to said drying apparatus and for the secondary drying apparatus and its conveyer. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the drying apparatus, taken at right angles to the section thereof of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 illustrates a detail. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of another form or multiple drying apparatus. Fig. 6 is a plan view of what is shown in Fig. 5

and showing also in plan the secondary drying apparatus.

From the brick-machine the filled molds a are delivered to the conveyer. (Shown at the right in Fig. 1.) Said conveyer consists of two endless bands, chains, cables, &c., 1), extending around sheaves 0, two being arranged on each of two shafts d, mounted in suitable journals e, set a suitable distance from each other. Themolds rest on the lower stretches of the bands, &c., I) when they are being carried forward by the conveyer from the brickmachine, rollers f being provided to guide them properly onto the conveyer. At right angles to this conveyer is arranged the primary drying apparatus, which, as usual, has relatively considerable lengthwise dimension. This drying apparatus is suitably spaced from the conveyer, so that an attendant can stand between, taking the filled molds from the conveyer and dumping the green bricks contained therein onto the traveling portion of the drying apparatus, as hereinafter described, and returning the molds toward the sander (not shown) by placing them on the upper stretches of the bands b, &c., of the conveyer. Said drying apparatus has a foundation-wall g of rectangular form, and on it rest bearings h for two parallel shafts 41, one disposed at one end and the other at the other end of the drying apparatus. On each of .these shafts are arranged two or more sheaves j. It represents endless bands, cables, chains, &c., which are stretched over corresponding sheaves j and which may be kept at the proper tension by the take-up mechanism Z, controlling the bearings for one of the shafts i. (A similar take-up mechanism m is or may be provided for the conveyer first above referred to.)

In the ordinary dry-house or drying apparatus the green bricks are dumped from the molds on loose pallets, and these are either in turn placed on cars running on tracks through the tunnel or tunnels of the dryhouse or on an endless conveyer, like in my Patent No. 732,978. The use of these pallets necessitates much handling, both at the start and at the finish of the drying operation, and it is therefore one of the objects of my present invention to provide means whereby they may be eliminated and the bricks caused to enter on the drying operation with the least amount of handling and Waste of time, and yet in such, manner that they will get the full benefit of the drying operation. To this end I provide elongated plates or strips n, having on their under sides lugs 0, which receive and grip the bands, &c., 76, with the result that the bands and said plates constitute an endless conveyer having appreciable Width and each unit thereof very material length with respect to its width. Thus since this conveyer moves rather slowly in order to give the bricks time to be dried to the required extent the time which it takes the attendant to charge any one plate or strip is just about enough for the speed of the conveyer. It should be remarked that as the dumper or dumpers take the molds from the conveyer first mentioned he dumps the molds one after the other on the strip or plate a, which is directly over the adjacent shaft i. (The charge of one mold is thus shown in Fig. 1.) The conveyer of the drying apparatus is controlled by the attendant so as to have a step-by-step or intermittent advance. As he charges or loads one strip or plate at with bricks from molds he causes the conveyer to advance far enough to bring the next strip into position for charging or loading.

On the foundation-wall g is built the primary dry-house or tunnel p, which is approximately as long as the foundation-wall g that is to say, said tunnel is built just long enou h to leave clearance over the conveyer for charging the same at one end and for spatting the bricks (squarin them up a number at a time with a flat-'aced implement) in preferably the manner hereinafter described.

9 denotes parallel pipes which are plugged at both ends and rest on supporting-girders 1", set in the side walls of the tunnel. Said pipes extend transversely of the strips or plates n and are arranged closely enough together so as to adequately support the strips or plates against sagging. The strips or plates slide along the tops of these pipes, and in order to reduce the work to be done by the driving means for the conveyer said pipes are set at a slight incline, as best seen in Fig. 2, as are also of course the conveyer itself and its accessories. The pipes have steam or other heated fluid conveyed to them in the manner hereinafter described, whereby they are made to assist in the drying.

On foundation-walls s, a part of one of which may be formed by one side of the wall g, are supported bearings 15 for two shafts a, one of which has a take-up means '0, whereby the distance thereof from the other may be adjusted. Said shafts carrysheaves w, and over the sheaves extend endless bands,

chains, cables, &c., y, carrying strips 2, and

thus making a conveyer to carry the bricks away from the primary dry-house to the secondary dry-house 1 is a platform arranged between the conveyer of the primary drying apparatus and the conveyer just described, and on it the attendant stands. The attendant takes the bricks from the conveyer of the primary drying apparatus and hacks them on the strips w'i. 6., piles them in layers, one row to each strip and each layer breaking joints with the layer immediately above or below it. As a considerable weight is thus to be put on this conveyer, I provide a support therefor somewhat like that for the conveyer of the primary dry-houseto wit, a pipe 2, which extends from approximately one shaft 14 to the other and is supported by beams 8, set in the Walls 3.

2 denotes fans for the primary dry-house, being arranged in openings 3 and designed to draw out the heated air in the dry-house.

4 is the secondary dry-house, which is built over the conveyer last described and extends for a considerable length relatively to its width and height.

5 designates outlet-openings, and 6 fans arranged therein and designed to discharge therethrough the heated air in the kiln.

The boiler '7, engine 8, space 9, communicating with the smoke-box at the boiler through opening 10 ,fresh-air chamber 11 and header 12, connected by tubes 13 in space 9, flue 14, forming the discharge from space 9, valved pipes 15 and 16 for conducting live steam from the boiler to space 9 and chamber 11, respectively, and pipe 17 for conducting exhaust-steam to chambers 9 and 11 through pipes 15 and 16 are or may be all as in my United States Letters Patent No. 732,978.-

18 is a damperedconduit leading from the header 12 under the primary dry-house and having therein discharging branches 19. 20 is a similar dampered conduit leading to the secondary dry-house and having similar discharging branches, (not shown,) and 22 is a branch conduit whereby fresh (cold) air may be led from chamber 11 to the secondary dry-house.

24 and 25 are delivery and return steam.- pipes connected to the pipes g of the drying apparatus. 26 and 27 are corresponding pipes connected to the pipe 2. As shown in Fig. 2, each of the pipes 24 and 26 is connected with the boiler and engine in such manner as to receive either live or exhaust steam, as in my patent aforementioned.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a superposed arrangement of the conveyers'of the primary drying apparatus is shown, the object being to increase the capacity of the dry-house. 28 designates the side walls of the drying apparatus, the same being stepped at both ends, as at 29. 30 is the tunnel or dry-house proper; 31, conveyers and their accessories, substantiallylike that shown in Fig. 2 and already'described and arranged one above the other,* each at slight incline, the bearings 32 for the shafts 33, on which the sheaves 34 are mounted, being arranged on the steps of the walls 28. 35 is an exhaust-fan for this dry-house. Each conveyer 1s intermittently advanced by the attendant as he fills one strip or plate thereof with bricks. In loading the end strips or plates he may either work from the top conveyer down, or vice versa, standing when necessary on the end strip of the subjaeent conveyer or on a plank 86, which. when in use may rest on the brackets 37 and when out of use on brackets 38. The steps 29 are made deeper than the steps 29, so that a considerable Surface of bricks on each con-- veyer is exposed at that endof the dry-house,. whereby the attendent may spat several. rows of bricks at once.

the secondary drying apparatus.

secondary dry-house 40, conveyer 41, (the elements of which latter may be substan-- tially the same as the elements of the con- 1 veyer for the secondary drying apparatus: already described,) and exhaust-fan 42..

This arrangement facilitates the work of the attendant, who after spatting the bricks on 3 the conveyers .31 hacks them on the conve er 41.

prefer to provide a spatting device (shown 1 by way of illustration only in Fig. 1) where t by a greater number of bricks may be s p atted j ning over a pulley 47 and connected with the arms 43, keeps the blade normally raised. As fast as each row of bricks emerges from the dry-house the blade is depressed by the attendant to spat the bricks.

I also show in Figs. 5 and 6 an automatic striking device. As the molds come from the brick-machine there is an overplus of mud on top of each, which is usually removed by an attendant by a strike i. 6., a blade which cuts off the superfluous mud even with the top of the mold. My automatic striking means comprises an inclined plane 48, having rollers 49 in its runway on which the molds travel downwardly, an upright 50, a blade 51, pivoted in the upright and connected with a Weighted arm 52, also pivoted in the upright by a link 53, and a stop 54, which limits the downward movement of the arm, and hence of the blade, past a point Where the blades edge will just about coincide with the top of the mold and automatically clear off therefrom the superfluous mud as the mold descends.

Fig. 4 shows how flush joints are made in the pipes g and 2, 55 being nipples which are screwed into the pipe ends and have shoulders 56 flus W t e outside of the pipes.

Parallel with the primary drying apparatus of Figs. 5 and 6 is: It com-- I prises. the rectangular foundation-wall 39,. p

A smooth sliding surface for the strips or plates of the conveyer is thus presented.

57 denotes curtains or the like, whereby to shut off the ends of the dry-houses and make:

inclosures of the same against the waste of the heat supplied thereto.

I desire to place stress on the employment of the fans 3 and 6, for thereby the conditions'of heat and draft in the dry-houses are not only perfectly in control, but a draft at all times attainable without the use of an expensive stack.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a brick-making plant, a conveyer comprising endless cables and strips or plates attached to said cables and adapted to re ceive the bricks, and narrow parallel supporting-slideways for said strips or plates arranged between and parallel with said cables, said strips or plates resting directly thereon substantially as described.

2. In a brick-making plant, a conveyer comprising endless cables and strips or plates attached to said cables and adapted to receive the bricks, a supporting-slideway for said strips or plates arranged between and parallel with said cables and consisting of a pipe or pipes, and means, connected with said pipe or pipes, for supplying a heated fluid thereto.

3. In a brick-making plant, the combination of a dry-house, a conyever extending through the dry-house and comprising endless cables, and strips or plates attached thereto and adapted to receive the bricks, and a supporting-slideway for the strips arranged parallel with and between said cables, substantially as described.

4. In a brick-making plant, the combination of a suitable inclosure, means for heating the same, and a series of endless conveyers extending through said inclosure and arranged the one above the other, said inclosure extending short of the conveyers at one end and each conveyer above the bottom one extending short of the one immediately beneath it at one end, substantially as described.

5. In a brick-making plant, the combination of a suitable inclosure, means for heating the same, and a series of endless conveyers extending through said inclosure and arranged the one above the other, said inclosure extending short of the conveyers at both ends and each conveyer above the bottom one extending short of the one immediately beneath it at both ends, substantially as described.

6. In a brick-making plant, an endless conveyer and a spatting mechanism comprising a suitable support, a spatting-blade traversing the conveyer, and a movable device carrying said blade and mounted in said support, substantially as described.

7. In a brick-making plant, a conveyer, a spattmg device traversing the conveyer, and a suitable support, sald spatting device being pivoted in said support, substantially as despatting device being pivotediin said support, I

and means for holding said device normally elevated out of contact with said conveyer, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I 15 have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of January, 1906.

HIRAM I-I. 'WALSH.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. STEWARD, WM. D. BELL. I 

